Development and Development and Implementation of Implementation of Community-based Community-based

Sports/Recreational Programs Sports/Recreational Programs for Youth with Severe for Youth with Severe

DisabilitiesDisabilities

Why offer a program?Why offer a program?

• The benefits of sports and The benefits of sports and recreational programs for children recreational programs for children and youth with or without disabilities and youth with or without disabilities is universal .is universal .

• The opportunities for these programs The opportunities for these programs diminishes as the disability becomes diminishes as the disability becomes more functionally limiting.more functionally limiting.

What are the benefits ?What are the benefits ?

• PhysicalPhysical• SocialSocial• Family support & network opportunitiesFamily support & network opportunities• RecreationalRecreational• Promotes inclusionPromotes inclusion• Provides opportunities for non-disabled Provides opportunities for non-disabled

youth to get to know peers with youth to get to know peers with disabilities.disabilities.

PhysicalPhysical

– Minimize deconditioningMinimize deconditioning– Provide opportunities to stretch and Provide opportunities to stretch and

strengthen muscles.strengthen muscles.– Provide opportunities for practical carry-Provide opportunities for practical carry-

over & application of strategies and over & application of strategies and skills learned in therapy.skills learned in therapy.

SocialSocial

• Provides opportunities to learn social skills Provides opportunities to learn social skills in more integrated, natural settings.in more integrated, natural settings.

• Increases opportunities for interactions Increases opportunities for interactions with age-appropriate, non-disabled peers.with age-appropriate, non-disabled peers.

• Offers opportunities to develop new Offers opportunities to develop new friendships with both similarly disabled friendships with both similarly disabled and non-disabled peers.and non-disabled peers.

Family Support & Family Support & NetworkingNetworking

• These experiences offer parents and These experiences offer parents and siblings opportunities to support their siblings opportunities to support their disabled child in more traditional disabled child in more traditional roles.roles.

• Parents/care givers can network with Parents/care givers can network with other families while their child is other families while their child is enjoying and benefiting of the enjoying and benefiting of the program.program.

Offers Opportunity to have Offers Opportunity to have fun!!fun!!Builds Self-Esteem & Builds Self-Esteem & ConfidenceConfidence

The primary reason that most The primary reason that most children/youth participate in children/youth participate in

sports/recreation activities is to have sports/recreation activities is to have fun!fun!

Sportsmanship and Sportsmanship and CompetitionCompetition

Competition and challenges are Competition and challenges are healthy and necessary for all people, healthy and necessary for all people, regardless of ability.regardless of ability.

Provides opportunities for Provides opportunities for non-disabled youth to get to non-disabled youth to get to know peers with disabilities.know peers with disabilities.

• Improves attitude towards children Improves attitude towards children with disabilities or those who are with disabilities or those who are differentdifferent

• Reduces prejudice, teaches toleranceReduces prejudice, teaches tolerance• Gives perspectiveGives perspective• Provides teaching opportunities for Provides teaching opportunities for

how to interact with others who are how to interact with others who are differentdifferent

Elements of a Elements of a Successful ProgramSuccessful Program

Identify a population to Identify a population to target and validate the needtarget and validate the need

• Specify disability by function, not Specify disability by function, not diagnosisdiagnosis

• Specify age rangeSpecify age range

• Verify no similar or competing Verify no similar or competing program offered in area.program offered in area.

Identify appropriate Identify appropriate sport/activity for targeted sport/activity for targeted populationpopulation• Recognize that participants must feel that the they are Recognize that participants must feel that the they are

valued for their participation and contribute in a valued for their participation and contribute in a meaningful way.meaningful way.

• Activity/sport that allows for as independent participation Activity/sport that allows for as independent participation as possible is usually the most meaningful.as possible is usually the most meaningful.

• For wheelchair users who have limited use of arms, For wheelchair users who have limited use of arms, consider wheelchair sports that do not require use of hands consider wheelchair sports that do not require use of hands for participation other than driving chair. for participation other than driving chair. – Power floor hockey, soccer, track/field are easily adapted and Power floor hockey, soccer, track/field are easily adapted and

allow for independent participation.allow for independent participation.

Identify barriers to Identify barriers to implementation and implementation and participationparticipation

• Accessible location w/ appropriate Accessible location w/ appropriate facilities for population.facilities for population.

• Finding sponsor/ organizational Finding sponsor/ organizational supportsupport

• Secure liability coverageSecure liability coverage

• Finding participantsFinding participants

Identify pool of volunteers to assist Identify pool of volunteers to assist with program development and with program development and implementationimplementation

• Therapists that serve in community Therapists that serve in community facilities, schools.facilities, schools.

• University/college therapy,special University/college therapy,special education programs.education programs.

• Parents/siblings.Parents/siblings.

• Community service organizations.Community service organizations.

Identify potential sponsor Identify potential sponsor organizations.organizations.• Organization should be one that has a proven history Organization should be one that has a proven history

of community, or organization involvement with of community, or organization involvement with service, activities to benefit children or underserved service, activities to benefit children or underserved populations.populations.

• Organization should have the organizational structure Organization should have the organizational structure to provide support needed, esp. liability insurance to provide support needed, esp. liability insurance and have recognized name that is associated with and have recognized name that is associated with quality.quality.– Rotary, Lions, YMCA, hospitalRotary, Lions, YMCA, hospital

Contact potential organizations with letter explaining Contact potential organizations with letter explaining what you are looking for and request a time to what you are looking for and request a time to come and present a proposal and business plan.come and present a proposal and business plan.

Develop business planDevelop business plan

IncludeInclude• Identify population to be servedIdentify population to be served

• Lack of services/opportunities currently availableLack of services/opportunities currently available

• Benefits of programsBenefits of programs

• Proposal of program specifics: what activity & Proposal of program specifics: what activity & why, when, how long, wherewhy, when, how long, where

• Identify what you want from them I.e. insurance, Identify what you want from them I.e. insurance, volunteers, $(uniforms,equip, site rental) use of volunteers, $(uniforms,equip, site rental) use of their logo.their logo.

• Identify how their sponsorship will benefit them.Identify how their sponsorship will benefit them.

Program Program Planning/ImplementationPlanning/Implementation• Location-should be able to have regardless Location-should be able to have regardless

of weatherof weather• Pool of volunteers- adults for advertising, Pool of volunteers- adults for advertising,

registration, etc. Peer buddies- local registration, etc. Peer buddies- local schools(students are eager to get involved schools(students are eager to get involved for community service hrs.), local; for community service hrs.), local; churches,synagogues, sports clubs.churches,synagogues, sports clubs.

• AdvertisingAdvertising• Equipment needs- specialized vs adapted.Equipment needs- specialized vs adapted.

• Finding players/youth to participate- local Finding players/youth to participate- local hospitals that have outpt. Services, local hospitals that have outpt. Services, local public schools, physician specialists, public schools, physician specialists, pediatrician offices.pediatrician offices.

• Post notices in local newspapers, local Post notices in local newspapers, local education/community TV stations, web education/community TV stations, web sites.sites.

• Develop flyer-distribute through schools, Develop flyer-distribute through schools, contact school district case managers to contact school district case managers to distribute and “talk up” program. distribute and “talk up” program.

• Contact local PTAContact local PTA• Cost to participant should be affordable but Cost to participant should be affordable but

within range of similar non-disabled within range of similar non-disabled programs-better commitment when cost is programs-better commitment when cost is involved.involved.

Keys to Successful ProgramKeys to Successful Program

• Good match of program participants’ Good match of program participants’ abilities to program offered.abilities to program offered.

• Strong organizational structure to Strong organizational structure to ensure dependable and predictable ensure dependable and predictable activity each week.activity each week.

• Player involvement with meaningful Player involvement with meaningful participation for all.participation for all.

• Well organized volunteer training.Well organized volunteer training.

Did the program meet it’s Did the program meet it’s objectives?objectives?

• Develop program evaluation for Develop program evaluation for participants and families.participants and families.– Keep it short.Keep it short.– Easy to read.Easy to read.– Simple scale for rating.Simple scale for rating.– Offer opportunity for suggestions.Offer opportunity for suggestions.

Success is not measured in Success is not measured in numbers!!!numbers!!!

ResourcesResources• National Center on Physical Activity & Disability(National Center on Physical Activity & Disability(

www.ncpad.orgwww.ncpad.org))• National Rehabilitation Information Center(National Rehabilitation Information Center(

www.naric.comwww.naric.com ) )• U.S.Electric Wheelchair Hockey Association(U.S.Electric Wheelchair Hockey Association(

www.usewha.orgwww.usewha.org))• Universal Dance Center-wheelchair ballroom dancingUniversal Dance Center-wheelchair ballroom dancing www.unidancesport.comwww.unidancesport.com• National Disability Sports AllianceNational Disability Sports Alliance www.ndsaonline.orgwww.ndsaonline.org• National Sports Center for the DisabledNational Sports Center for the Disabled• www.nscd.orgwww.nscd.org• United StatesPower Soccer Assoc.United StatesPower Soccer Assoc. www.powersoccerusa.netwww.powersoccerusa.net• US Youth Soccer Assoc.-TOPSoccerUS Youth Soccer Assoc.-TOPSoccer www.usyouthsoccer.orgwww.usyouthsoccer.org